The director of
transportation may employ such assistants as are necessary to prepare plans and
surveys. Compensation paid for the preparation of plans, surveys, and
specifications shall be regarded as a part of the cost and expense of the
improvement for which they were made and shall be paid from funds set aside for
the improvement.

The director may
appoint additional clerks and stenographers, and such other engineers,
inspectors, technicians, and other employees as are necessary to carry out
Chapters 4561., 5501., 5503., 5511., 5513.,
5515., 5516., 5517., 5519., 5521., 5523., 5525., 5527., 5528., 5529., 5531.,
5533., and 5535. of the Revised Code. All such technicians employed under the
authority of this section shall be eligible to receive pay during periods of on
the job training or while attending special training schools conducted by the
department of transportation. Such employees and appointees, in addition to
their salaries, shall receive their actual necessary traveling expenses when on
official business.

The director may
contract with regional, county, or municipal planning commissions or county
engineers having adequate staffs, and with planning agencies of adjacent
states, for the preparation of comprehensive transportation and land use
studies and major thoroughfare reports, or parts thereof, and pay the
commissions, county engineers, or planning agencies of adjacent states for such
work from funds available to the department.